# Montana SB 214: Revise zoning laws to clarify decisions regarding prior nonconforming use of property Montana SB 214, Revise zoning laws to clarify decisions regarding prior nonconforming use of property, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Greg Hertz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB214-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana SB 214 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise zoning laws to clarify decisions regarding prior nonconforming use of property - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-24 - Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Local Government, Planning, Property, Cities and Towns, Counties - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (211 yes, 186 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Stronger rights for existing property uses: benefit, medium. If your property's use was legal when a zoning rule took effect, you can keep that use. The county can end it only if you change the use after the rule or you abandon it. When rules are unclear, officials must read them in favor of the use, including nonconforming uses. These protections apply now,… - City staff handle design checks: benefit, low. City employees must decide if your zoning permit or variance meets design rules. The city cannot require review by outside boards, like a historic preservation board, for that compliance check. This streamlines decisions and removes extra review steps. - Towns can allow tiny-home zones: benefit, low. Your town can create zones that allow tiny dwelling units. A tiny home is 350 to 750 square feet on a permanent foundation. It must be used as a single-family home for at least 45 days. Appendix Q of the 2023 building code governs other requirements for these homes. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 52 | 48 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | AMD-SB0214.002.004 Strand DO PASS | fail | 41 | 59 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 48 | | | 2025-02-27 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 34 | 16 | | | 2025-02-26 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 34 | 15 | | ## Actions (24) - 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-21: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (House) - 2025-04-09: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-06: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-28: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-28: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-27: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-02-27: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-26: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-01: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-27: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3d338eee-08c0-4652-af8e-795779f665b8) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-25: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=6f502115-fb66-41bd-b4c1-bf55b76482ba) - Introduced, 2025-01-24: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=306fa0e3-9c88-4a65-8b9b-aa07b0a08f8c) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3d338eee-08c0-4652-af8e-795779f665b8) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=6f502115-fb66-41bd-b4c1-bf55b76482ba) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=306fa0e3-9c88-4a65-8b9b-aa07b0a08f8c) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB214-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).